To Hell and Back
by Pecola Shadow
Summary: W/S a stereotypical Spike and a very wiccan Willow meet...


  
To Hell and Back  
  
Dedicated to: Althea ( here's something while I'm busy working on part two..)  
  
  
I was alone, in the library. Which was becoming a normal occurrence, seeing as how I was the only one doing any research lately. Apparently Giles was in his office translating an obscure Latin text: he was sleeping on the job mumbling strange somethings about 'the bloody Accusative Passive Third Person I've seen'.   
  
This time though, I wasn't doing research for Giles, I was researching the wonderful and exciting realm of magickal quantum physics! Figuring out the basics of a temporal fold was not and would not ever be easy. In fact I was so immersed in the subject I didn't hear Spike walk in.   
  
I had set up everything so that I could go to the past and retrieve Angel's curse minus happiness clause. It was the least I could do for Angel, considering all the times he'd saved me in the past.   
  
Trying to quiet his demon was my way of saying thanks and I won't be needing your help anymore now. I could try to prove to all of them that I was good even outside a crisis.   
  
Although Buffy probably wouldn't thank me for doing it I was sure Angel would know how time consumingly complicated it would be to fix his curse and would trust me when the gang realized my magickal advancements.   
  
After reading the spell once over again I decided I was well enough versed in the information to perform the spell. All I had to do was call upon Eryishon, the Endless One, offer a standard supplication and then be guided by his wisdom to the time and place I wished to be.   
  
I laid the herbs and candles just so, that they would create a pentagonal form. And began my incantation.  
  
'Eryishon. K'shala. Meh-uhn.  
  
'Diprecht. Doh-tehenlo nu-Eryishon.  
  
'The child to the mother.  
  
'The river to the sea.'  
  
I felt like I was immersed in a streaming river, which was guiding me to the place in time I wished to be. I felt the divine love of the goddess surrounding me and in a moment it was all but gone. I hesitated for a moment. Where was I?  
  
I was in a strange place, at night, in a strange time. //YES! I did it! I'm actually here!// I had reached the Romani's gypsy camp as it was so many years ago. I discontinued my triumphant feelings when I noticed what was in front of me. I saw the curse, as it was first found. There was nothing about wishing ill will on anyone. It was a simple soul-seeking spell. I reached my hand out to touch the old style paper. The words written on it were Angel's redemption.   
  
'How the bloody hell did I get here?' A voice asked coming from behind me.  
  
'Ack.' I screamed. It was Spike. How did he get here? 'Spike what do you want? What were you doing in the library?' I said as I realized that that was the only way he could have been pulled with me to the past.  
  
'We vamps, we have pesky allergies to sunlight. How was I supposed to get away from the school in the daytime? Besides it's not like I had anything better to do at this hour but sleep and seeing as how that spell of yours made so much noise, I couldn't very well do that either.'  
  
'You could have used the sewers, for one. It's not like you haven't been there before.' I replied agitated.   
  
'No, don't like those places, they smell like the dead.' He answered sarcastically.  
  
'Well, too bad. I've got work to do, so either help or spend another 100 years reliving the past!'   
  
'So Red does have a backbone after all! What are you doing here?'  
  
'I'm leaving. And don't call me Red!' I picked up the weathered piece of paper and was about to leave the hut when Spike whined, again.  
  
'I don't fancy spending another 100 years without the comforts of a 20th century meal, so how are we getting back?'   
  
'Just follow me.' I whispered and left the hut to find the lake I knew was around there somewhere.   
  
Spike and I walked around for what seemed like hours. He followed me alright, he was never more than a few inches away from me, which was irritating me to the point of no return. I felt like he was staring at my neck the whole time, which he probably was. And felt no need to have a repeat of the last time Spike had tried to eat me. It was pathetic.   
  
Finally we reached the lake. I couldn't wait to end the spell and get away from Spike when suddenly the dead-man-walking spoke.  
  
'I'd turn you in a minute if I had the chance.'   
  
'What?!' I answered. After following closely behind me for hours he chose now, when I could finally get away from him, to speak! How Xanderlike! And then I realized what he said. It was overwhelming. Why would he want to turn me anyway? 'Why?!'  
  
'I like this dangerous and mysterious Willow much better than the mouse. And want to keep you this way, forever, love. I know this is the real you. I've known it for a long time now.' He said as he inched toward me.  
  
I stared at him. I thought that no one had picked up on me having advanced my magicks. Ok, he was here in the past with me, but it's not like he would know what it would mean... would he? Throughout my many years of learning Buffy and Xander and even Oz had discouraged me. Again and again they'd told me how much they felt they couldn't trust my magic.   
  
* 'Will, let's be realistic here. Okay, your basic spells are usually only fifty-fifty' *  
  
* 'Ooh, you didn't encourage her, did you?' *   
  
I'd left so many hints the past few years, but no one had bothered to notice how secure I was in my magicks now. No one but Spike. I should have known. 'What is it then that you prefer about the new me?' I whispered while leaning forward.  
  
At that exact moment Spike reached out to me and held me so close to him, wrapping his strong arms around me, that our noses were only molecules apart. And he whispered, 'You're you.' And with that, he leaned even closer to me and kissed me. After just a moment I pulled back and recited the last words of spell, the words that would return us to the confines of the library.  
  
'The sea to the river.  
  
'The mother to the child.  
  
'Nu-Eryishon Doh-tehenlo. Diprecht.  
  
'Meh-uhn. K'shala. Eryishon.'  
  
The water before us turned an icy blue. It was ready to send us back, to the exact moment after we'd left.   
  
I reached behind Spike's back and slowly pulled him over to me. He hesitated. Afraid of the waters. But returned to my arms willingly. A moment passed when it seemed as if we were the only two beings on the planet. A moment when it seemed there was a special romantic song playing in the background only the two of us could hear. The way Spike was holding me was so different from the times he'd wanted to drink me. And his mouth seemed to have become a haven for mine as I was enjoying my time there fully //Spike has sharp teeth!//. It was so weird that I was the only one that came up for air, but a girl could get used to that.  
  
I turned towards the lake. And started to enter its warm glow, while Spike tried in vain to pull me towards the shore. The fear was once again evident in his handsome features.   
  
'Spike, it's Ok. This is our way home.' I told him reassuringly.   
  
Once again I ventured into the lake, but this time Spike was at my heals. In a sudden flash we were returned to the library, curse in hand.   
  
The second we pulled away from each other we heard Giles awakening from his deep slumber. It was amazing that the first thing Giles did when he woke up was clean his glasses, but I suppose I should have expected at least that much. Giles looked up at us through the glass window and found Spike 'searching' for a book in the cage while I sat breathless at the table.   
  
When Giles turned his back to us I said just loud enough for Spike to hear, 'You know, this doesn't make you any less terrifying.'  
  
At which Spike replied testily, licking his lips: 'Don't patronize me.'  
  
  
  



End file.
